Safe Use of the Internet, Social Media and Photographs

All staff need to understand the risks that using the internet may pose for children, such as bullying, sexual exploitation and radicalisation. Staff also need to be aware of the strategies the Home has in place to keep children safe and to support them in learning how to keep themselves safe.

The internet and social networking sites can pose risks to children and young people, for example in relation to sexual exploitation and abuse, bullying and radicalisation.

In relation to sexual abuse, this can include:

• Exposure to pornographic or other offensive material via the Internet;
• Abusive images of children (although these are not confined to the internet);
• A child or young person being groomed for the purpose of sexual abuse.

Social networking sites can be used by perpetrators as an easy way to access children and young people for sexual abuse. The Serious Crime Act 2015 introduced an offence of sexual communication with a child. This applies to an adult who communicates with a child and the communication is sexual or if it is intended to elicit from the child a communication which is sexual and the adult reasonably believes the child to be under 16 years of age. The Act also amended the Sex Offences Act 2003 so it is now an offence for an adult to arrange to meet with someone under 16 having communicated with them on just one occasion (previously it was on at least two occasions).

It should be noted that creating or sharing explicit images of a child is illegal, even if the person doing it is a child. A young person is breaking the law if they:

• Take an explicit photo or video of themselves or a friend;
• Share an explicit image or video of a child, even if it's shared between children of the same age;
• Possess, download or store an explicit image or video of a child, even if the child gave their permission for it to be created.

However, if a young person is found creating or sharing images, the police can choose to record that a crime has been committed but that taking formal action is not in the public interest.

Internet abuse may also include cyberbullying. This is when a child is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another person or persons using the internet and/or mobile devices. In the case of online bullying it is possible for one victim to be bullied by many perpetrators. In any case of severe bullying it may be appropriate to consider the behaviour as child abuse by another young person.

Radical and extremist groups may use social networking to attract children and young people into narrow ideologies that are intolerant of diversity: this is similar to the grooming process and exploits the same vulnerabilities.

Children may be drawn to adopt a radical ideology through a failure to appreciate the bias in extremist material; in addition by repeated viewing of extreme content they may come to view it as normal.

There is a correlation between online risk and real-life vulnerability that means care-experienced children have an increased risk of encountering online harm. Young people with prior off-line vulnerabilities are at greater risk of harm online then children and young people with none. For example, young people with eating disorders, looked after children and young people and those with communication challenges may use technology to communicate and socialise in ways they cannot achieve without it. Denying online access to children can be abusive in itself (e.g., loss of opportunity to develop resilience, risk of alienation, risk of turning to secret devices). 

The Online Safety Act 2023 introduced new criminal offences including:

• Sending a message with information the sender knows to be false with the intention of causing non-trivial psychological or physical harm to a likely audience without reasonable excuse;
• Sending a message with a threat of death, serious injury, rape or serious financial loss where the sender intends the recipient to fear that threat will be carried out (or is reckless as to whether the recipient has such fear);
• Sending or showing an electronic communication with flashing images with the intention to cause harm to a person with epilepsy;
• Communicating, publishing or showing material capable (and with the intention) of encouraging or assisting the serious self-harm of another, even if the sender cannot identify the recipients and even if the self-harm does not occur;
• Intentionally sending or giving images of any person’s genitals to another person with the intention to cause the recipient alarm, distress or humiliation, or for the purposes of sexual gratification whilst reckless as to whether the recipient will be caused alarm, distress or humiliation;
• Four offences in relation to intentional sharing or threatening to share intimate images without consent, which do not necessarily require proof that the sender intended to cause alarm, distress or humiliation. (This replaces the previous offences relating to so-called ‘revenge porn’ where there was a requirement for an intention to cause distress).

Children will have access to telephones (including mobiles), computers / laptops and tablets at reasonable times, in line with what would be considered acceptable for their peers who are not looked after. The child’s Placement Plan should cover delegated authority in relation to the use of social media.

At any time, if staff consider that a child or others may be at risk from having access to telephones, mobiles, computers/the internet or other forms of communication, they must take steps to reduce or prevent the risk.

If the risk is of Significant Harm (including online or cyberbullying), serious damage to property or of a criminal offence being committed, staff must consider withdrawal/confiscation. Preferably, withdrawal should be by agreement with the child; if agreement is not forthcoming, the Home’s manager should apply the same principles as set out for searching a child without consent, in Searching Children/Bedrooms Procedure.

If any such restrictions are imposed, the Home’s manager and child’s social worker must be notified within 24 hours and consideration must be given to whether any ongoing restrictions should be imposed upon the child; any arrangements for ongoing restrictions must be outlined in the child’s Placement Plan.

If a child is prevented from having access to a telephone, or access is reduced, it is deemed to be a sanction, and must be recorded as such.

As set out above, mobiles or other devices may be seized by staff if it can be shown that the mobile/device is being or may be used to place the child or others (including staff) at risk of Significant Harm, this could include from their use of internet or social networking sites and the exchange of images/video clips (so called sexting) or posting of them on such sites e.g. as a form or cyber/online bullying.

If items are seized, they must be passed to the Home’s manager, who must record the seizure and come to a decision about whether to confiscate the device.

Confiscation is reasonable where the Home’s manager considers that the device will be used in a manner which will place the child or others at continuing risk of Significant Harm, in order to caused serious damage to property or if there is a suspicion that the device is not owned by the child e.g. stolen. In such circumstances, the Home’s manager should pass the device to the police or keep it safely in the Home.

If the device is owned by/the property of the child, the Home’s manager may retain it until satisfied that it will be used reasonably i.e. in a way that does not place the child or others at risk.

If retained, the Home’s manager should provide the child with a receipt.

The internet is an integral part of our lives, and children in residential care need to learn how to use the internet safely and take responsibility for their own safety. This is best achieved by providing guidance in the Home environment.

Children and young people should be supported by staff in the Home to use the internet and social media safely, including to understand that when they use digital technology they should not give out personal information, particularly their name, address or school, mobile phone numbers to anyone they do not know or trust. Discussions should also cover safeguarding measures young people must consider if they plan to meet someone face to face whom they have only previously met online.

The development of Home internet rules can help in setting clear boundaries, using appropriate language, and expectations of the child or young person while in that particular placement. These could include:

• Time limits;
• The type of sites or specific sites that the young person is permitted or not permitted to use;
• Agreement to explain or show staff what they are doing online at any time;
• Any behaviour that is unacceptable e.g. bullying, gossiping;
• If the young person accesses social networking sites, agreement to share who their online 'friends’ are, ensure privacy settings are appropriately set and establish the type of activity that is acceptable;
• The need to tell someone if inappropriate content is accessed or they are upset by anyone while online;
• The need to ask before carrying out certain activities e.g. setting up an account on a games site, joining a social networking site;
• It is recommended that the Home internet rules are displayed or kept near to the device that the child uses most frequently to access the internet;
• The Home internet rules should be reviewed and, if necessary, revised at regular intervals;
• The role of staff in helping children and young people to learn how to use the internet safely is extremely important and they must ask for support and/or further training if they lack confidence in this area;
• If staff have any concerns about children’s online activities they should report it to the child’s social worker;
• Computers with internet access should be located in a publicly accessible areas;
• Most social networking sites impose age limits on their membership. Facebook, for example, currently denies membership to anyone under 13 years old. YouTube states that their site is not intended for under 13 year olds to view and that members must be over 18 or have parental/guardian consent to add content to the site. It is therefore inappropriate for children under 13 years old to use social networking sites;
• Young people who wish to post images of themselves on websites must be made aware of the risks involved. In some cases it may not be safe for children to post images on social networking sites such as Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter). This must be assessed by the child’s social worker on an individual basis.

Furthermore, young people should be warned about the risks of taking sexually explicit pictures of themselves and sharing them on the internet or by text. It is essential, therefore, that young people understand the legal implications and the risks they are taking. The initial risk posed by sexting may come from peers, friends and others in their social network who may share the images. Once an image has been sent, it is then out of your control.

Computers and web-enabled devices owned by the Home must have appropriate controls with regards to access and site-limitations and that 'firewall' and other safety filters are installed and regularly monitored and maintained. Staff must never use equipment belonging to the employer to access pornography; neither should personal equipment containing these images or links to them be brought into the workplace.

The Digital Passport is aimed specifically at Looked After Children, but may be a useful resource that can be adapted for any vulnerable child.

Records kept in the Home on each child, including photographs, represent a significant contribution to their life history. Children will be encouraged to keep appropriate memorabilia of their time spent living at the Home, including photographs.

Useful Websites

Internet Matters - advice for professionals, parents and young people on a wide range of digital safety issues including the digital passport.

Refuge and Risk: Life Online for Vulnerable Young People - research into the risks and dangers for vulnerable young people online. The report discusses the types of risk they encounter which is exacerbated by the vulnerabilities.

NSPCC Report Remove Tool - The tool enables young people under the age of 18 to report a nude image or video of themselves which has appeared online. The Internet Watch Foundation will review these reports and work to remove any content which breaks the law.

UK Council for Internet Safety (UKCIS) Digital Passport - a communication tool to support children and young people with care experience to talk with their carers about their online lives.

Childnet Parents and Carers Toolkit - Resources that offer practical tips and advice on different aspects of keeping children safe online.

Talking to Your Child About Online Sexual Harassment (Children's Commissioner)

The Dark Web Explained (for Professionals)

The Dark Web Explained (for Parents and Carers)

Online Safety SEND Resources

UK Safer Internet Centre - Resources for helping children and young people stay safe online, including details of the Professionals Online Safety Helpline.

Child Safety Online: A Practical Guide for Parents and Carers (GOV.UK) - The guide includes practical tips about the use of safety and privacy features on apps and platforms, as well as conversation prompts to help families begin talking about online safety. It also contains pointers to further advice and support.

• CEOP -This is the web site of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), which delivers a multi-agency service dedicated to tackling the exploitation of children. It provides advice to parents, carers and children on Internet safety, an online reporting facility (Click CEOP) and the Thinkuknow web site (see below);
• Thinkuknow -These resources help young people, parents and carers and teachers to learn about the risks that young people may encounter whilst using the Internet. Developed by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) the Thinkuknow web site also includes a facility for young people to report online abuse;
• Childnet International - This web site provides a range of resources to help children and young people to use the internet constructively and to protect children from being exploited in the online environments provided by new technologies.